was born April 1, 1853, son of Alfred H. and Elizabeth T. (Butler) Abernathy, who were born in Giles County. The father for many years was one of the successful teachers of the county. Dr. Abernathy was educated in the common schools and Giles College, Pulaski. At the age of seventeen he quit farm work and began teaching, continuing for three years. During this time he was a disciple of Esculapius, and subsequently attended lectures at the University of Louisville, graduating from the institution as an M. D. in 1865. He practiced one year in Pulaski, and then went to Prospect, Tenn., and formed a partnership with Dr. Theo. Westmoreland, but a year later moved to Lewisburg, Marshall County. In 1880 he returned to Pulaski, where he has since practiced his profession. In May 1885, he formed a partnership with Dr. C. C. Abernathy, one of the oldest physicians of the county. The firm is styled Drs. C. C. & C. A. Abernathy. In February 1884, Dr. Abernathymarried Mrs. Ella (Ezell) Flournoy. The Doctor is a Democrat, a Knight of Pythias, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Mrs. Abernathy is a Presbyterian.

From: Goodspeed's History of Giles County

Ruff (Ruffin) Abernathy

Ruff (Ruffin) Abernathy

, (b. 1845; d. 26 Jul. 1926) fought in the Civil War along with his owner Tom Abernathy, and received a pension.

According to the information submitted to the Tennessee Board of Pension Examiners, Ruffin Abernathy was a cook, serving in the 3rd Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment under Captain Flavel C. Barber, in the Confederate army of 1863. Captain Barber was killed in the battle of Resaca, Georgia. Ruffin was then taken in charge of by Surgeon General Samuel H. Stout of the Confederate army and placed as servant in the Distributing Hospital at Atlanta, Georgia. When Generals Hood and Sherman fought the battle of Atlanta in 1864, Surgeon General Stout moved him from Atlanta hospital to the hospital at Lisonia, Alabama. After this fight, Surgeon General Stout took him back to or near Atlanta, Georgia in 1865. Later General Lee surrendered and as Rebel soldiers were coming in every day, General Stout was about to be discharged, so he called him from the Distributing Hospital near Atlanta to the discharging office and he took the oath at the same time of General Stout. "Then and there" they left the army together and General Stout took him back to his old home where he was taken from at the beginning of the war. He received an honorable discharge. He is buried in Aspen Hill Cemetery (Black).

Theresa Abernathy Gordon is the great, great granddaughter of Ruffin Abernathy through the ancestry line of Ruffin's son Shellie Abernathy, Shellie's son Joseph Abernathy (b. August 2, 1907; d. January, 1980), and Joseph's son Clifford Dee Abernathy, Sr. (b. May 9, 1928; d. January 29, 2006), Theresa's father. Nelva Abernathy Driver was the granddaughter of Ruffin Abernathy, also, the youngest sister of Joseph Abernathy.

Joseph Abernathy and Clifford Abernathy were born and raised in Giles County, Tennessee, but lived the majority of their adult lives and died, in Nashville, Tennessee.